Rolling up the shutters, getting down to business

A Darlington company went into liquidation on October 13, and another Darlington-based construction company reduced its staff from 30 to just three – the result of a financial relationship with one of Australia’s largest real-estate companies. 

However, the world’s money issues are not too grave a concern for all local business people. As one local café proprietor, James, said, while business has slowed over the past couple of months, he is maintaining a positive outlook. After living and working in the area for the past four years, James states that even over his short tenure, the area has become a lot safer than it was.

“There’re more young families with young babies contributing to local business,” he said, adding that future development will encourage the positive perspectives of long-time locals.

James maintains that the unique area is a fantastic part of Sydney, but signalled that any future development will have to suit the very particular requirements of the area.

“If they do it properly, it will be good,” he said. “But they need to get it right.”

The ongoing redevelopment of the area is ensuring that the once decrepit no-go zone is fast becoming a cultural hub for the inner city. Currently, there are numerous projects awaiting the green light, many of which are expected to generate sterling yields for local businesses.

The Redfern-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce is conveying a positive attitude toward the future development of the area. But whilst there are advances being made that will provide for a desirable spike in profits for the business community, the social welfare of the disadvantaged runs at a deficit. As budgets are restructured to concentrate on sustaining the economic status-quo, whether current market disturbances will cause social maintenance to be pushed off the agenda remains to be seen.

President of the Chamber of Commerce, Mary-Lynne Pidcock, disagrees with this assessment. She is confident that the area’s strong community spirit will persevere in and through coming economic and physical developments, as long as there is continued community consultation. “For any future successful developments, it is essential that there is community consultation,” Ms Pidcock said. “We’re looking for vibrant, viable, sustainable businesses to attract people to the area.”

The Chamber of Commerce is also rallying behind the “Roll-up Redfern” campaign, concerned with reopening the dormant shopfronts in and around Redfern, and keeping them open. And whilst there is growing support for the drive, let us hope that when Sydney University’s summer hibernation begins, the gravity of current financial woes is not too strong a force for the shutters and businesses that are presently open.

Source: South Sydney Herald November 2008 www.southsydneyherald.com.au